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Historic John's Grill, San Francisco, CA

Historic John's Grill

4.7
4.7
7297 Reviews
$31 to $50
American

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 p.m.
Booked 55 times today
Experiences are available.
  • Good for special occasions
  • Charming
  • Neighbourhood gem
John's Grill has been a San Francisco tradition since 1908. This historic restaurant is one of the city's oldest and most famous and is a favorite of celebrities who enjoy great steaks, expertly prepared fresh seafood with excellent service and a one of a kind atmosphere. John's Grill was a setting in author Dashiell Hammett, The Maltese Falcon.

Order delivery or takeout

Private dining

Private dining

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Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    American, Steak, Seafood
  • Hours of Operation
    Lunch Daily 11:45 am–3:30 pm Dinner Daily 3:30 pm–9:30 pm
  • Phone number
    (415) 986-0069
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive Chef
    Mauricio Sibrian
  • Private party facilities
    Historic John's Grill is a landmark restaurant established in 1908 offers private dining rooms for 20 - 300 guests. Classic San Francisco atmosphere offering local seafood and fine cuts of steaks and chops. Chosen as top 10 by Esquire and featured in Gourmet.
  • Neighbourhood
    Downtown / Union Square
  • Cross Street
    Powell Street
  • Parking details
    There is a parking garage directly across the street, Ellis - O'Farrell Garage.https://www.sfmta.com/garages-lots/ellis-ofarrell-garageParking near John's Grill:https://www.parkinsf.com/sanfrancisco/parking-near/John%27s+Grill
  • Public transit
    BART / MUNI at Powell Street Station
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Experiences

  • Thanksgiving

    Nov 28, 2024 only
    The restaurant is offering a Thanksgiving meal featuring a selection that includes steaks, seafood, and the traditional turkey dinner. We look forward to serving you.

What 7,297 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7
4.7 based on recent ratings
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.4Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • San Francisco

    American

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Historic John's Grill is a cherished San Francisco institution with a "classic old school" vibe and "amazing food." Guests rave about the "best steak in town," attentive service, and vibrant atmosphere. The historic ambiance, coupled with live jazz, creates a truly "memorable dining experience" perfect for both locals and visitors.

7,297 Reviews
  1. Kimberly

    San Francisco

    6 reviews

    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Traditional SF restaurant. Adorably decorated for the Holidays. The hostess, bartender, waiter are all professional and accomodating. The food is fabulous. Great location while shopping in Union Square or heading to a show at the Curran Theatre. Love this place!

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  2. Mark

    San Francisco

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    John’s Grill is one of my most favorite restaurants in SF. The staff are efficient and friendly. The ambiance is great, and I enjoy taking first-timers to this gem. The food is great, and my favorite is Jack LaLanne seafood salad with a glass of Chardonnay. Steaks and pasta dishes are great too! Make a toast or two to Hammett, Bogart, Astor, Greenstreet etc. Save a bit of time to check out The Maltese Falcon and other film noir items upstairs. Enjoy the day!

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  3. rafael

    San Francisco

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent service and friendly staff. Great food and atmosphere.

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  4. StevenB

    Portland

    7 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    7 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great food and wonderful service. We will return.

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  5. Dean

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Food great. Service staff friendly. Atmosphere old time San Francisco

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  6. Steve

    San Francisco

    39 reviews

    5.0

    39 reviews

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Amazing food and service. Let them know we had a show following dinner and they got us out in plenty of time

    Is this helpful?

  7. Lisa

    San Francisco

    32 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    32 reviews

    Dined on November 17, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We had a nice leisurely lunch prior to our theater date. Attentive service and delicious meals. Historic restaurant that should be on everyone’s list.

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  8. Marcus

    San Francisco

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on November 17, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Classic San Francisco restaurant. Amazing food and a reasonable price. Service is top notch.

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  9. Paul

    Las Vegas

    8 reviews

    4.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on November 15, 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    This is a classic steak house....kind of NY style. The menu is interesting and features something for everyone. We started with escargot and they were really good. Both of us had the Halibut. It was delicious. I had a baked potato, he had masked.....go with the mashed; the sauce with the fish is amazing and goes great with the mash. Veggies were tasty and cooked perfectly. I felt the service was kind of rushed but attentive. A jazz duo played and I thought it was kind of loud. I would go back.

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  10. Raisetheroof

    San Francisco

    14 reviews

    5.0

    14 reviews

    Dined on November 15, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We celebrated a milestone birthday at John’s with good friends. Food and atmosphere were excellent. Servers very attentive and really made the evening special.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Historic John's Grill offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (415) 986-0069.

Historic John's Grill is rated 4.7 stars by 7297 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 p.m.
Booked 55 times today
Experiences are available.

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for Historic John's Grill

63 Ellis Street, San Francisco, CA 94102

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Cross Street
    Powell Street
  • Neighbourhood
    Downtown / Union Square
  • Hours of Operation
    Lunch Daily 11:45 am–3:30 pm Dinner Daily 3:30 pm–9:30 pm
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    American, Steak, Seafood
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    There is a parking garage directly across the street, Ellis - O'Farrell Garage.https://www.sfmta.com/garages-lots/ellis-ofarrell-garageParking near John's Grill:https://www.parkinsf.com/sanfrancisco/parking-near/John%27s+Grill
  • Public transit
    BART / MUNI at Powell Street Station
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Mauricio Sibrian
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Phone number
    (415) 986-0069
  • Private party facilities
    Historic John's Grill is a landmark restaurant established in 1908 offers private dining rooms for 20 - 300 guests. Classic San Francisco atmosphere offering local seafood and fine cuts of steaks and chops. Chosen as top 10 by Esquire and featured in Gourmet.
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